Trees fall to Meghalaya Highway Plan

SHILLONG: Meghalaya may lose some 3,500 trees as the National Highway 44 is to be broadened to ensure better and quicker transportation. That’s another ‘forest’ lost. Even school kids can predict that the disappearance of so many trees will change climate conditions almost overnight, say some locals. But the endless traffic snarls contribute more in terms of air pollution argue others.

Over 3,000 trees, including those falling within the Narpuh Reserve Forest in eastern Meghalaya, will be chopped down for the proposed widening of the National Highway 44 which connects the state to Assam.

The Rs 368.88 crore project, covering 100 km through West and East Jaintia Hills districts, would also uproot 121 households [and livelihoods] through which the NH-44 passes in Meghalaya.

The road project passes through a 10 kilometre stretch through the Narpuh Reserve Forest covering an area of about 2 hectares.

The resettlement and rehabilitation of the local people alone would cost the government over Rs 9 crore, officials in the National Highway Authority of India said.

Of the 3,450 trees which require felling, 91 of them are in reserve forest areas, 2,780 in the existing way and the remaining are in the land proposed to be acquired, they said.

The major settlements en route are Pasyih, Ialong of West Jantia Hills, Wapung, Khliehriat, Ladrymbai, Mynkre, Sonapur, Umkiang and Ratachera in East Jaintia Hills district.